Philadelphia Work Accident Lawyers

Construction workers are at risk of serious injury or even death on a daily basis. Get the facts about the most common construction worker accidents.

Pennsylvania construction workers take on an extreme level of personal risk every day they are on the job. The dangers inherent in the construction injury are well noted. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has even identified what it calls the fatal four. These are the four most prevalent situations that cause accidents on construction job sites.

Among the fatal four are falls, electrocutions, entrapment by objects and being hit or struck by objects. Nationally, OHSA reports that nearly 18 percent of all deaths on private sector work sites happened on construction sites. The fatal four have been identified in many of those incidents.

How common are construction worker accidents?

Around the nation, news reports of accidents involving construction workers are all too easy to locate. Some recent headlines recount the following:

A 27-year old construction worker was crushed to death by a large slab of concrete at a future Manhattan hotel site per the New York Post. A second worker was injured in the incident.

A Click2Houston.com article told of a man who died after he became entrapped during the process of loading an excavator.

Two men in California died after falling 80 feet from a crane that was supposed to have suspended them, a Daily Democrat story reported.

In Seattle, KIROTV.com published news of a construction worker’s death by electrocution. The accident happened in a ditch while an air compressor was being operated.

Missoula’s KPAX.com also notes that OHSA is investigating an accident in which a worker fell through a piece of wood and landed four stories lower. According to the article, businesses are only required to report fatal accidents, not those resulting in injuries alone.

The Pennsylvania experience

In looking at the records kept by the United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics for 2012, the serious nature of construction site risks becomes apparent. Statewide, the construction industry accounted for 15 percent of all fatalities resulting from workplace accidents.

A total of 29 people perished on construction job sites in Pennsylvania that year. Of those, 11 died in accidents caused by trips, slips or falls. Another nine were killed in transportation-related accidents and seven workers lost their lives after being exposed to dangerous items or materials.

What can victims do?

Whether construction site accidents result in treatable injuries, lifelong disabilities or fatalities, workers or their family members should seek legal assistance immediately after any accident. From Workers’ Compensation to other forms of compensation, an experienced attorney can help victims effectively seek justice.

Awards & Affiliations

Gross & Kenny, LLP

Gross & Kenny, LLP and associates proudly represent clients throughout the Greater Philadelphia area. *Jeffrey S. Gross is certified as a specialist in the practice of Workers' Compensation Law by the Pennsylvania Bar Association's Section on Workers' Compensation Law as authorized by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.